Halloween Troy Night Out Bash

TVCOG is inviting everyone to a night of excitement, art and technology during October’s Troy Night Out! The night will feature activities and exhibitions from the children’s Makerspace, the THINQubator, and Maker-in-Residence program. Friday, October 28 from 5-9pm.

In the THINQubator: STEAM-Powered Halloween

Summer Robotics Pics 1The THINQubator at TVCOG is an official Trick or Treat destination for Troy's annual Halloween themed Troy Night Out. Every year, children across the capital region are invited to put on their costumes and trick or treat in the shops in downtown Troy. 

The night will also feature a pop-up version of TVCOG’s popular free children’s program, STEAM-Powered Saturday. This specialty event, STEAM-Powered Halloween, will feature a free hands-on Halloween-themed STEAM activity for children ages 4 to 12 and their families.

Participants will be invited to join the THINQubator's team of Mad Scientists to explore chemical reactions by mixing up slime and "witches brew."

Details: Both the free children's activity and trick or treating begin at 5pm and end at 8pm. This is a drop-in program, with no pre-registration required.

Brought to you through the generous support of the Seymour Fox Foundation.

 

In the Makerspace: Interactive Art Installation with Maker-in-Residence Jerry Huang

Summer Robotics Pics 1The night will also serve as the grand opening of “Relational Matter,” an interactive art installation created by Maker-in-Residence Jerry Huang.

Huang’s project, “Relational Matter,” includes a physical installation made with infinity mirror panels with LED lights among other innovative materials and a multi-sensory interactive virtual world. The work will respond to input from collective viewers, visually and aurally. The exhibit will be on display starting at 5pm on Friday, and will continue to be available throughout the weekend during Open Hours, when the public is encouraged to come view and interact with the installation and take tours of the facility.

Huang will be presenting his signature project with a live performance during Troy Night Out from 8 to 8:30 p.m. While the installation will remain on view throughout the weekend, the performance will showcase the full range of astounding capabilities of this interactive art installation.

There is limited capacity for the performance. Reservations are encouraged.

Reserve Your Spot

Brought to you by the generous support of the New York State Council on the Arts.

Families coming to participate in STEAM-Powered Halloween are also invited to visit the “Relational Matter” exhibition; while not strictly Halloween themed, the exhibit is child-friendly.

Installation Open Hours:

5-8pm on Friday, October 28

10am-8pm on Saturday, October 29


Click on the menu items below for more information about the night's festivities, or about the individual programs. 

Halloween Troy Night Out Bash

TVCOG is inviting everyone to a night of excitement, art and technology during October’s Troy Night Out! The night will feature activities and exhibitions from the children’s Makerspace, the THINQubator, and Maker-in-Residence program. Friday, October 28 from 5-9pm.

In the THINQubator: STEAM-Powered Halloween

Summer Robotics Pics 1The THINQubator at TVCOG is an official Trick or Treat destination for Troy's annual Halloween themed Troy Night Out. Every year, children across the capital region are invited to put on their costumes and trick or treat in the shops in downtown Troy. 

The night will also feature a pop-up version of TVCOG’s popular free children’s program, STEAM-Powered Saturday. This specialty event, STEAM-Powered Halloween, will feature a free hands-on Halloween-themed STEAM activity for children ages 4 to 12 and their families.

Participants will be invited to join the THINQubator's team of Mad Scientists to explore chemical reactions by mixing up slime and "witches brew."

Details: Both the free children's activity and trick or treating begin at 5pm and end at 8pm. This is a drop-in program, with no pre-registration required.

Brought to you through the generous support of the Seymour Fox Foundation.

 

In the Makerspace: Interactive Art Installation with Maker-in-Residence Jerry Huang

Summer Robotics Pics 1The night will also serve as the grand opening of “Relational Matter,” an interactive art installation created by Maker-in-Residence Jerry Huang.

Huang’s project, “Relational Matter,” includes a physical installation made with infinity mirror panels with LED lights among other innovative materials and a multi-sensory interactive virtual world. The work will respond to input from collective viewers, visually and aurally. The exhibit will be on display starting at 5pm on Friday, and will continue to be available throughout the weekend during Open Hours, when the public is encouraged to come view and interact with the installation and take tours of the facility.

Huang will be presenting his signature project with a live performance during Troy Night Out from 8 to 8:30 p.m. While the installation will remain on view throughout the weekend, the performance will showcase the full range of astounding capabilities of this interactive art installation.

There is limited capacity for the performance. Reservations are encouraged.

Reserve Your Spot

Brought to you by the generous support of the New York State Council on the Arts.

Families coming to participate in STEAM-Powered Halloween are also invited to visit the “Relational Matter” exhibition; while not strictly Halloween themed, the exhibit is child-friendly.

Installation Open Hours:

5-8pm on Friday, October 28

10am-8pm on Saturday, October 29


Click on the menu items below for more information about the night's festivities, or about the individual programs. 

Additional Event Information

TVCOG's doors will be open for the Troy Night Out event from 5-9pm on Friday, October 28. The children's activities and trick or treating  take place from 5-8pm in the THINQubator area. In the general Makerspace, Relational Matter will be on display from 5-8pm. At 8pm, the live interactive art performance will begin, at which time doors to the exhibit space will be shut. Tours will be available throughout the entire night.

  • COVID-19 Safety: At this time, TVCOG requires that all unvaccinated individuals, regardless of age, wear a mask while in the facility. We reserve the right to request proof of vaccination.  Masks are strongly encouraged at all events for children.
  • Tours: Tours of TVCOG will be available by request throughout the night, thanks to our wonderful volunteers!
  • Parking: TVCOG does not have its own parking lot, but all city operated parking lots & garages are available for free after 6:00 pm. There are several parking garages and lots within walking distance for those unable to find street parking, including the Front Street parking lot, located on Front Street behind the Arts Center and the Fifth Avenue Garage, located at Fifth Avenue and Broadway.
  • Photosensitivity Warning: The art installation performance features bright, color-changing lights and an auditory component. It may have an effect on viewers with photo sensitivities.
  • About Troy Night Out: Held the last Friday of every month, Troy Night Out is a downtown-wide community, with specials, sales, and promotions around every corner. October Troy Night Out is traditionally Halloween themed, with shops and other businesses opening their doors for trick or treating. Find out more information, including a list of businesses participating as trick or treating spots, on the Troy BID website.

About STEAM-Powered Saturdays

Summer Robotics Pics 1STEAM-Powered Halloween is a fun, spooky pop up version of our regular monthly event, STEAM-Powered Saturdays.

At STEAM-Powered Saturday, children ages 4-12 and their families are invited to join us for a free, fun, creative hands-on project. These mind-expanding projects help children discover creative play through science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

STEAM-Powered Saturday takes place from 10am-1pm on the 1st Saturday of each month. This is a drop-in program with no prior registration required. Projects vary month to month,  but some examples of this year's projects include "Circuit Bugs," an E-textiles project, "Mini Zip Lines," a physics and engineering challenge, and "DIY Kaleidoscopes," a project exploring the properties of light.

Brought to you by the generous support of the Seymour Fox Memorial Foundation. Additional support provided by the Albany Society of Engineers.

About the Maker-in-Residence Program

Summer Robotics Pics 1Tech Valley Center of Gravity’s Maker-in-Residence program supports local makers with demonstrated financial need in the creation of a proposed project through dedicated space and resources.

The three components of the MIR program are The Project, Community Engagement, and Long-Term Maker Support. Residents are expected to design and host a series of free, public Community Engagement workshops, be an active member of the TVCoG Community, contribute project updates to be shared in social media, present an end-of-project event, and complete a report each trimester.

The residency includes a membership to the TVCoG, including 24/7 access to the building, access to equipment in all the center’s zones and Prototyping Center, equipment training, limited technical support from CoG staff, 5’ x 8’ studio space, a small project materials budget, credit for TVCoG classes, and a one-time stipend of $500.

To be eligible for the residency, applicants must be age 18 or older, live in the Capital Region, and have a 2021 taxable income under $39,526. Brought to you by the generous support of NYSCA.

 The program supports three Makers per year. Current Resident Makers include: 

  • Jerry Huang, whose project Relational Matter will be featured during October TNO. 
  • Alex Briggs, who is designing a highly-efficient biochar kiln model. Alex is set to begin hosting community classes in November. 
  • Lauraly Grossman, the newest program participant, who has just begun her residency. Lauraly's signature project is a conceptual art piece that explores the confluence of spiritualism and technology. 

About Jerry Huang and "Relational Matter"

Summer Robotics Pics 1Jerry Huang, a PhD student in Architectural Acoustics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, is a lifelong maker and experimental artist whose work explores the intersection of art, community and technology. Jerry began his residency at the beginning of 2023, working on a monolithic, interactive art installation as his project. This multi-day showcase serves as the official conclusion of his residency.

Huang’s project, “Relational Matter,” includes a physical installation made with infinity mirror panels with LED lights among other innovative materials, and a multi-sensory interactive virtual world.

The work will respond to inputs from collective viewers, visually and aurally. In a series of workshops this summer, community members participated in Huang’s production process, creating the infinity mirror panels while also learning the fundamentals of laser cutting, soldering, and microelectronics platform Arduino. 

Following the installation, Jerry hopes to move forward with expanding the scope of Relational Matter, partnering with EMPAC at RPI for the next phase in the project's development.